is a deck good shelter for a feral cat?

I think thats where my feral cat is most of the time? Do most of your cats spend a lot of time under their in bad weather?

Yeah mine go under the deck whenever there is a storm or anything really super scary for them. I even have 7 raccoons who live under there, but they all go there when it is an "emergency" LOL.

Mine used to live under the deck in the winter too, but it wasn't really warm enough. I went ahead and purchased a solar pool cover and some outdoor cat/dog heating pads, and I made them a really cozy home that way, by draping the cover over chairs and leaving a little spot for them to get out, and putting a rubber mat underneath. It doesn't cost much and it is WAY BETTER than seeing them outside in zero degree weather and feeling helpless to help them.

Since then I've purchased some feral cat homes too, they are heated and I put them under the solar pool cover also.

You can't beat those solar covers, they really trap the sun's heat.

If you live in Florida tho, you probably don't need to know this LOL .

Decks tend to be very popular "homes" for kitties and all kinds of animals! Depending upon the deck, it can be a great shelter. Of course, as Barb points out, in a cold winter they're not so great. I love Barb's idea about warmth for a shelter. Our first winter rescuing, it went sub-zero for several weeks - and none of the feral kitties used the shelters we created. Plenty of people have success with shelters that have one entrance - but we've since learned that the kitties are FAR more likely to use whatever shelter you make if it has two ways to get in/out. And in Winter, just a large styrofoam box with two holes cut in it with straw stuffed into it makes a great shelter. Maybe put it under the deck!

Laurie